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Au, Poudrier, Seltzer make All State

Terry Meyers, for the Headlight

Posted:
01/23/2013 04:16:24 PM MST

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Katie Poudrier, with her clarinet, along with Zuky Au on his tenor sax continue practicing after coming back from their New Mexico All State Concert. The concert was held in Albuquerque at Pope Joy Hall on the Campus of the University of New Mexico.

Three Deming High School students qualified for All State at the Southwestern New Mexico Music Educators Association (SNMMEA) District Marching Band Festival held at New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

With the help and direction of DHS band director Bernie Chavez, sophomore Carmen Seltzer and seniors Katie Poudrier and Zuky Au are celebrating their second year in a row to make it to the finish line with their collective talents.

"I am so proud of all of my band students," Chavez said.

All State musicians must interact with judges. Standing in front of a judge, each student does a blind (sight unseen) audition with two pieces of music to scale. The musicians must site read a piece they only get to glance at for a short time and then they must play that piece of music.

"I think it is a good experience for our students," Chavez said. "These kids do in three weeks what it takes a normal high school band to do in eight weeks."

The students had the opportunity to travel to Albuquerque where they were taught music by band directors Paula Crider from the University of Texas and Kenneth Singleton from the University of Northern Colorado in order to prepare for a Saturday, January 12 concert held at Pope Joy Hall on the campus of the University of New Mexico.

Students from all over the state who achieve All-State status gather to perform the All State Concert in a team effort.

"It gave me a different understanding of what it means to play well," Poudrier said.

Seltzer and Poudrier both play clarinet and Au excels at tenor sax.

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Au also will be participating in Jazz All State scheduled in Las Cruces on Friday.

"I always learn new techniques I have not yet mastered," Au said of his high school band exeprience.